Public Coast Brewing opened its doors in June after months of renovations and paperwork transformed the site of The Lumberyard restaurant into a brewery. Photo by Emma Browne

By Dan HaagFor the Oregon Beer Growler

Walking into Public Coast Brewing in Cannon Beach immediately gives you the sense that you are sharing another persons' labor of love: gleaming new brew tanks, handwritten tap lists, warm, inviting seating areas, and large windows that invite onlookers to watch the brewing process. Above it all, taking up most of one wall reads: “Beaches Forever, Beer For Everyone.”

It's a statement, a motto, a rule for the beer revolution unfolding on the Oregon Coast. Located at 234 E. Third Street – the site of former Cannon Beach eatery and watering hole The Lumberyard – Public Coast was the longtime dream of owner Ryan Snyder. Snyder, president of Martin Hospitality, purchased The Lumberyard in 2004 with the goal of one day turning it into a thriving, convivial brewery.

“It was my dream all along,” he says. Though that dream had to be put on hold several times over the ensuing decade, Snyder's patience has paid off: Public Coast welcomed its first customers the first week of June, turning an idea into the physical hustle and bustle inside one of the Oregon Coast's newest breweries. That's not to say the transition from daydream to reality wasn't without its complications. Delays in the federal approval process pushed the proposed February opening to June.

“Never in a million years would I have planned on opening a new restaurant in June,” Snyder says. “But at the end of the day, we're ready to make a product that stands out in the crowd.”

Snyder is no neophyte to the ins and outs of the brewing industry; his experience dates back to the early ‘90s with Big Dogs Brewing Company in Las Vegas. Snyder says his vision for Public Coast is the pairing of the freshest possible ingredients for both food and beer, a destination where both things combine to create a story.

“It's not just a 'beer place' or a 'burger place,'” he says. “We want both to be the story. Not one or the other, but how did it all work together."

To capture the best of both those worlds, Snyder brought his longtime head chef Will Leroux on board as head brewer. While it may seem like a giant, uncharted leap to make from the dining room to the brewing room, Snyder says Leroux was the first and only name that came to his mind as Public Coast began to take shape. Utilizing his contacts at Big Dogs, Snyder sent Leroux to Las Vegas for a month-long tutorial on brewing. Leroux returned and hit the ground running, using his experience as a chef to get the balance in Public Coast's beers just right.

“Brewing is not unlike baking; both involve a certain amount of science,” Leroux says. Snyder adds that Leroux's culinary touch is the perfect fit for what he's hoping to achieve. “What's really cool is that Will has created this great balance, which you would expect from a guy who is so methodical in his processes. He's the ultimate craftsman”

Public Coast boasts five tanks and all of their beers are brewed onsite. Additionally, every Friday the brewery taps a limited-edition keg. Recent offerings have included Jalapeno Bitter Pale Ale, Bumble Berry Blonde and Dried Cherry Stout. Playing with flavors has allowed Snyder and Leroux to find some happy mediums for patrons.

“The Bitter Pale, for example, has a pale ale finish that has a bittering on the palate like an IPA,” Snyder says. The response from people who normally don't care for IPAs has been overwhelmingly positive. For younger palates, there are non-alcohol beverages, including house-made root beer. Snyder also took care to provide 10 guest taps, in order to show some love to all of the breweries that supported his undertaking.

The food menu has been simplified in order to place focus on quality and offers three core items: burgers, fish tacos, and halibut and salmon fish and chips. There are also gluten-free options – all locally sourced. Additionally, Public Coast stands ready for the dark coastal days of Oregon Coast power outages with a complete power generation system. “In the event of a power outage, this place is set to be a refuge, a place where people can gather. Food and beer will always be ready,” Snyder says, adding that making the community feel welcome was an extremely important element of the new undertaking.

Keeping that sense of coastal community at the forefront is reflected in the brewery's name. Public Coast is a nod to the landmark 1967 Beach Bill, signed into law by Gov. Tom McCall, which forever kept Oregon beaches free and public. Being just a few blocks from the beach only helps enforce that notion. Looking ahead, Snyder has plans for a tasting room, a barrel-aging room and regular live music. In the here and now, however, Snyder couldn't be happier with how Public Coast is unfolding. “We want to serve the absolute highest quality,” he says. “We're following up on a dream.”